2 NATO Troops Killed in Eastern Afghanistan Fighting

KABUL – Two NATO troops were killed Friday in fighting in eastern Afghanistan, NATO forces said.

The soldiers were on a patrol that came under fire from insurgents and the two died from direct fire during the ensuing battle, said Lt. Commander Christopher Hall, a spokesman for NATO forces.

He did not give further details or the nationalities of the dead, saying that NATO policy is to wait for relatives to be informed and for the relevant national authority to release details.

NATO forces include troops from more than 42 countries, including the United States. In all, the U.S. and other NATO countries now have some 70,000 soldiers in Afghanistan — a record level that is getting boosted this summer with the arrival of 21,000 additional U.S. troops.